Heartbreak Hotline
by Broadway Magic
Summary: ~B4 Broadcast~ Jane has fallen in love with a voice on a hotline...or has she?


"eddie, give it back, NOW!" Jane yelled, but to no avail. Eddie Alden held the notebook from Jane's reach, reading aloud.  
  
"Males tend to use the Cow Sob story to win sympathy from his rejected cow." Eddie's face crinkled with amusement, then worry. "Jane, you're so hung over Ray, that you're actually buying into this Dr. Charles Theory!" Jane shot him a look, but Eddie persisted. "You gotta let him go! It's tough, but welcome to life. I had to let go too, Jane!"  
  
Jane snorted. " Some way of letting go Mr. 'Who-Will-It-Be-Tonight' Alden!"  
  
"At least I let go productively, Miss. 'I listen to some quack write about the habits of cows' Goodale!" Eddie retorted.  
  
"Bulls! Cows aren't the problem, bulls are!" Jane snapped.  
  
Eddie groaned and snapped the notebook shut, tossing it on the couch. "I'm outta here." He stalked to the coat rack and grabbed his jacket.  
  
"Should I go to Liz's so you can get to know your new cow?" Jane asked sweetly.  
  
"You're hopeless, Jane!" Eddie yelled, and Jane bit back a reply as the door slammed shut. Jane wandered around the spacious apartment. am I hopeless? she wondered. I still love Ray…don't I? Is Eddie right? Am I too hooked to move on? her eyes then traveled to a slip of paper amidst her files.  
  
HEARTBREAK HOTLINE: a number was listed below. Liz Jane laughed. After some thought, she dialed.  
  
"welcome to Heartbreak Hotline. You will be put through to an available mentor shortly!" Jane gripped the receiver. Mentor? she asked herself, wryly.  
  
"Heartbreak Hotline, Basil speaking. Before we begin, I want you to know that this conversation is strictly confidential, and I ask that no real names be mentioned. Now, what would you like to be called?" Jane told Basil she wanted to be called DMC (Dr. Marie Charles).  
  
She then blurted out her pity. Loving Ray ®, hating ®, moving in with Eddie (E). She told Basil about Dr. Charles, leaving out that she was Dr. Charles. Basil listened, consoled, and offered advice to Jane. Jane herself wondered why such a seemingly perfect man was anonymous. She guessed it was her luck. Tough luck.  
  
Each day, when Eddie left, Jane tapped in the HH number, and requested Basil. More tears were shed, and more and more she began talking about (E), their fights, her sadness over each time he walked out, angry.  
  
"I thought I was moving in technically because I was homeless, and to get back at ®. I didn't mean to fall in love with him, Basil! Now I think I'm in love with you!" Jane realized.  
  
Basil was silent for a moment. "DMC, that's silly, nuts even! You can't fall in love with a voice, someone you know nothing about. You're striving too hard for love, my friend, you must let it come to you. Take a break. You never know, love might be right under your nose. This is Basil, signing off. Have a good day, DMC."  
  
Finally, Jane decided she had to meet Basil. She looked up HH's address, and set out about an hour after Eddie. "Basil, please," she told the receptionist, who smiled and hit the intercom.  
  
"Basil? Visitor."  
  
"Be right down," Basil's warm voice replied. Jane's heart hammered. this was it. She was meeting the voice of comfort. The elevators slid open, and she saw him before he saw her. Tall, rugged and handsome, dark tousled hair framed his gentle eyes. Jane froze, and her heart leapt to her throat. NO, Jane thought, wildly. No, Basil wasn't approaching her. It was Eddie Alden.  
  
Eddie's eyes met hers, and his mouth dropped, mouthing her name. The receptionist smiled amiably.  
  
"Problem?"  
  
Jane just stammered, and choked out, "I've been gushing out my heart to my roommate!!" She whirled and flew out, oblivious to Eddie, who was calling her name. Once in her room, Jane collapsed on her bed, relaying what'd just happened. There was no Basil, just Eddie. She felt cheated and betrayed. Why hadn't Eddie told her before she poured her heart out? AND she'd told Basil that she LOVED him! Just then, the apartment door shut, and Eddie walked in. "Speak of the devil," Jane muttered.  
  
"Jane?" Eddie appeared at her door.  
  
" Can I help you, Eddie?" Jane said, emphasizing his name. Eddie almost flinched at the harsh tone of her voice.  
  
"Jane, I shoulda told you, I know. But you were talking to someone…" Eddie rambled on and on until Jane kicked him in the shins, shutting him up.  
  
"Eddie, did you—Basil—mean what you—he—said about love being right under my nose?" Eddie smiled and lit a cigarette, glancing down at Jane, before pulling her to her feet.  
  
"Yup," he said gently. "Yup, he did." 


End file.
